Nation & World

Fort Carson losing combat brigade of 3,800 soldiers

The Associated Press

Posted:
06/25/2013 12:06:28 PM MDT

Members of the United States Army, 4th Infantry Division based at Fort Carson, march in this August 2012 file photo. Officials said Tuesday Fort Carson would lose one of its large combat units with about 3,800 soldiers. (Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post file)

FORT CARSON, Colo.—Fort Carson is losing one of its large combat units with about 3,800 soldiers.

But Congressman Doug Lamborn said Tuesday the post will still grow by about 1,800 soldiers as part of an Army reorganization.

Military officials said Tuesday Fort Carson's 3rd Brigade Combat Team is one of 12 brigades being cut at 12 installations in the U.S. and Europe.

Lamborn, a Republican whose district includes much of Fort Carson, says about 3,000 of those soldiers will be absorbed by three remaining brigades as the Army makes them larger.

Fort Carson is also getting a new combat aviation brigade, which will further offset the loss of the 3rd Brigade.

Fort Carson would still have the three other combat brigades, an artillery brigade, a sustainment brigade and the combat aviation brigade.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

Fort Carson is losing one of its large combat units with about 3,800 soldiers.

Officials said Tuesday a Fort Carson combat brigade team will be inactivated, one of 12 being cut at 12 installations in the U.S. and Europe.

The cuts are expected to be completed by 2017.

It wasn't immediately clear if the restructuring would result in any other units being moved to or from Fort Carson.

Officials provided details of the plans on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Advertisement

Fort Carson officials said the move was to be addressed in a speech later Tuesday. No statement was planned until then.

Fort Carson will still be a major Army post, with three other combat brigade teams, an artillery brigade, a sustainment brigade and a new combat infantry brigade.

Still, the loss of a brigade is a blow to the economy and prestige of nearby Colorado Springs. It breaks a yearslong string of growth at Fort Carson, whose units served multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Most brigades have between 3,500 and 3,800 soldiers.

The cuts would leave the Army with 33 active-duty combat brigades as it executes a longtime plan to cut the size of the service by 80,000.